By José A. de la Osa, Granma daily

FOR the second consecutive year, Cuba has achieved an infant mortality rate of 5.3 for every 1,000 live births; the lowest in the history of our country and, together with Canada, the country has attained a lower figure than those registered by other countries in the Americas, in a genuine expression of the most sacred of human rights: health.

As experts acknowledge, the true measure of a nation’s progress is the quality of care provided for its children, their health and protection, material safety, their education and socialization. And the infant mortality rate is an indicator that measures those advances in a synthetic form.

Worldwide, the global rate stands at 52 and in Latin America, 26. The rate for West Africa is 108, according to statistics gathered for The State of the World’s Children published by UNICEF.

Translated by Granma International  •